Central Oregon Emergent Cohort

I thought this might be a good topic for debate or at least I would like to get some other opinions on the topic of ordination.

UPDATE: Before I posted this I wanted to make sure I got my facts straight (funny thing…I didn’t get it right and am now more enlightened…who knew?). So I (gasp!) asked Adam to check out the post and see if I misrepresented him in any way, shockingly I did get some things out of whack and (honoring my statement about correction) I changed them, but also leaving in the original so you can see where I was misled.  I even went as far as to *embarrassingly* misspell the name of someone I call “a friend, colleague, fellow ultimate frisbee player, and guest in my home” TWICE!  Adam, a thousand apologies.

Last Friday someone I would consider a friend, colleague, fellow ultimate frisbee player, and guest in my home, Adam Walker Cleaveland Cleveland, posted about his latest frustration with his ordination process.  Since Adam’s post countless other posts and enumerable comments have being flying through the internet with everyone (including me, and me) doling out their opinion on “sinful institutions”, “deconstructionalists”, “emergents”, etc., etc.

I figured I would help out those of you who read my blog (Hi Mom!) and give you a one stop shop to find posts that I think are relevant, thoughtful, and meaningful in this debate: (There is even a back and forth between “de-facto emergent church bishop” Tony Jones and an old friend of his, Rev. John A. D’Elia.)  I will try to put them in some reasonable order:

The match that started the blaze: When an M.Div. from Princeton isn’t Enough… by Adam Walker Cleaveland Cleveland

The fuel that fed it: Let’s Ordain Adam by Tony Jones (including Tony’s “ironic” online petition to ordain Adam)

The forest that began to smolder around the blaze:

• Out of Ur: Tony Jones: We Ordain Everyone
• Dancing on Saturday: An Emerging Mess
• The GA Junkie: What Does It Take To Get Ordained Around Here? (this guy knows his stuff)
• Notes From Off Center: on denominationalism
  • on ordination and social control

The brush fire that caught along the way: (i.e. the “debate” between Tony and John)

• From John to Tony: An Emergent Discussion
• Tony’s response to John’s response:  Reconsider Ordination. Now.
• Tony’s response to John’s response (continued): Reconsider Ordination. Now. (Continued)
• John’s apology to Tony for a personal attack: An Apology Along the Way
• John’s response to Tony’s response to John’s response: My Attempt at a Collegial Rejoinder with Tony Jones

I am sure there are many other blogs, comments, tweets, emails, snail mails, etc. out there but I think you get the idea.

I almost forgot to add my own little nuggets of wisdom…from what I know about Adam’s situation (I am very welcome to correction if I am telling tales outside of school) is that Adam is serving in United Methodist Church in Livermore, CA as the youth director/minister/pastor/whatever, Minister for Youth and Young Adults.  He completed all of the requirements for Kendall Presbytery to certify him ready to seek a call (MDiv, ordination exams, CPE, etc.) he then hit a snag when he asked a friend of his to preach at his ordination service.  Kendall Presbytery CPM balked at his selection and he was then not able to stand for examination in front of the presbytery “after a 4-hr meeting with CPM, they decided the best possible situation would be to transfer me  (Adam) down to SF presbytery.” Adam then decided to went along with the transfer of his membership to San Francisco Presbytery (transferring presbyteries in the middle of your process is a notoriously bad idea, and Adam knew that).  San Francisco Presbytery then told Adam that he need to take a lot more classes before he could be examined.  Knowing the process of ordination in the PC(USA), I am surprised that Adam did what he did, but it’s his process and who am I to judge his decisions that I am sure were prayerfully considered and discerned.

Here’s I think a very important point that no one is talking about (or at least no one I’ve read)…Adam is currently working in a NON-ORDAINED position at a UNITED METHODIST church, not a Presbyterian church.  If Kendall Presbytery had ORDAINED Adam it would have been to “service to the larger church” (think missionaries, professors, publishers, camp directors).  The ordination as a minister of Word and Sacrament in a traditional church/pulpit is hard enough, but when you add extenuating circumstances on top of that it makes it that much more difficult.  The PC (USA) holds ordination in very high regard so it makes since that not just anybody is ordained to anything. (That is not a statement on Adam’s gifts or skills. Adam is a great guy with lots of things to offer.  I’m just saying it was always going to be more difficult than your “standard” ordination.)

As the polity goes (strictly speaking for better or for worse), Kendall Presbytery was doing Adam a favor was going out of its way to even consider him for ordination.  The fact that Adam was theologically on the fringe of the presbytery that he was under care of and the fact that most people don’t like it when you air their dirty laundry business, this was always going to be difficult.

Another thing to keep in mind…while there are many people like Adam, Tony, and, for that matter, me that value transparency, the PC (USA) is a very diverse denomination (age, economics, theology, politics) and there are many others that don’t understand why anyone would post “everything”, so it stands to reason that keeping your opinions to yourself or to a small group of friends and confidants would be the wiser course of action.  Maybe I should be listening to my own advice…who knows?

I say all of this to say that Adam is a good guy and a influential voice and I hope and pray that through this Adam will learn and grow in his pastoral identity and his ministry.  I also hope that the we all can learn and listen for God’s will and in our lives.

Just for the record…the service of ordination that includes the laying on of hands is for me one of the most powerful “occasional” services that I have seen in the PC (USA) (services I’ve seen include my dad (elder), my mom (elder), my wife (minister of Word and Sacrament)).  I also believe that when I sit in the pew watching (I am not ordained…yet…fingers crossed) the other ordained persons lay hands on the newly ordained I find hope and joy.  It will be a glorious day for me when I can kneel in front of those that have guided me through the ordination process and my faith life as they can affirm my call.

Blessings,

Greg

[Photograph by Raymond Gehman]